CVE-2024-48045: Happy Addons for Elementor Auth Bypass

CVE-2024-48045 Overview

CVE-2024-48045 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Happy Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin by HappyMonster. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 3.12.3. Attackers with low-privilege authenticated access can exploit incorrectly configured access control checks to reach restricted functionality. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress site. The issue maps to CWE-862: Missing Authorization.

Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege users can bypass access control checks in Happy Addons for Elementor and perform actions restricted to higher-privilege roles, resulting in full compromise of site data and functionality.

Affected Products

Happy Addons for Elementor (free) — versions through 3.12.3
WordPress sites running the happy-elementor-addons plugin
Deployments using Leevio/HappyMonster Elementor extensions

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-01 - CVE-2024-48045 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-48045

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the Happy Addons for Elementor plugin, an extension that adds widgets and templates to the Elementor page builder. The plugin exposes functionality that fails to enforce proper capability checks on the server side. An authenticated user with limited privileges can invoke plugin actions that should be restricted to administrators or editors.

Because the plugin runs inside WordPress, exploitation occurs through standard HTTP requests to the site over the network. The attacker requires an existing low-privilege account, which is common on WordPress sites that allow subscriber registration or contributor roles. The AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N conditions make automated exploitation practical once an account is obtained.

Root Cause

The plugin does not verify that the requesting user holds the WordPress capability required for the action being performed. This is a classic broken access control pattern where authentication is checked but authorization is not. The affected code paths likely rely on nonce validation or role assumption instead of explicit current_user_can() capability checks.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to WordPress using any valid account, including low-privilege roles such as subscriber or contributor. The attacker then sends crafted requests to plugin endpoints — typically AJAX handlers or REST routes registered by happy-elementor-addons. Because the endpoints omit capability enforcement, the server executes the requested action with elevated effect, enabling data modification, content manipulation, or other site changes. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for advisory details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-48045

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected admin-ajax.php or REST API requests from low-privilege user sessions targeting happy-elementor-addons actions
New or modified Elementor templates, widgets, or plugin settings created by non-administrative accounts
Plugin activity in logs originating from subscriber or contributor user IDs

Detection Strategies

Audit WordPress access logs for requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and /wp-json/ endpoints referencing happy or ha_ action names from non-privileged users
Compare active Happy Addons for Elementor version against the vulnerable range (<= 3.12.3) using WordPress site inventory tooling
Monitor for anomalous role usage patterns where low-privilege accounts trigger administrative-scope operations

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress activity logging that captures user ID, requested action, and HTTP status for every plugin AJAX or REST call
Forward web server and application logs into a centralized analytics platform to correlate authenticated user roles with privileged plugin actions
Alert on newly created WordPress users followed by immediate calls to Happy Addons endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-48045

Immediate Actions Required

Update Happy Addons for Elementor to a version later than 3.12.3 as soon as the vendor releases a fixed build
Restrict WordPress user registration and audit existing low-privilege accounts for suspicious activity
Review Elementor templates and site content created since the vulnerable version was installed

Patch Information

Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the current fixed version and vendor guidance. Apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager or via WP-CLI, and verify the installed version afterward.

Workarounds

Deactivate the Happy Addons for Elementor plugin until an updated version is installed and validated
Apply Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that block unauthenticated and low-privilege calls to Happy Addons AJAX and REST endpoints
Enforce least-privilege role assignments and disable public user registration where it is not required

bash

# Verify installed plugin version and update via WP-CLI
wp plugin get happy-elementor-addons --field=version
wp plugin update happy-elementor-addons
wp plugin list --status=active --format=table